Gold star and better day by day

Today I went to see Dr Scott along with some of the "team" who are looking after us transplant patients including Liz the transplant coordinator and one of the lead staff nurses from the support unit. In summary Dr Scott said I was doing "amazingly well" which is pretty heady stuff as she is quite understated. She reminded me I should still be in hospital apart from my good luck at not getting infections, so if my pulse was a bit high walking or cycling up a slope the real question was what the hell was I doing trying to walk or run up a slope when I should be on IV drips and morphine. I have to admit the competitive me was quite pleased, and I was reassured that it was OK to exercise up in the 150-160 range for an hour or so a day as long as my heart did not palpitate at rest. The bottom line from her, and other advice, was take it steady a little every day, use the monitor and do not push above the safe range indicated, if I feel unwell stop. Which is what I was doing so that's fine.

Dr Scott also repeated the advice on temperature, if its over 38 do not pass go, do not go to ER, phone and go directly to the cancer ward, as I do not have the immune system to fight of a serious infection. So scary warnings along with good encouragement that my program of exercise, though surprising, is the right thing to do - within limits which are well defined by my heart rate. I feel that I can make a difference now I am out of the hands of chemicals and drips so I am using my mental energy and determination to move things forward within the safe limits.

Having had a good morning in the hospital, including blood extraction with a needle which did not hurt at all, I decided to tackle one of my favourite things, polishing my Aston Martin, in the afternoon. I was very pleased with the results as some light scratches polished out totally and the car looks fantastic. I have always liked cleaning cars properly for me it is like a zen practice, you need a lot of patience and the results are very rewarding. So I had a few hours to gently work away panel by panel on the car with Tcut and high gloss polish, at the weekend the interior and the wheels will get the treatment so the car will be pristine in time for Philip my brother to borrow it for the run to the Monster hike. I will direct him up the Glencoe road which is one of the best drives in the UK lets hope the weather allows him to do the run with the roof down. Next on my radar is that MG fuel pump and the grass cutting.

This evening I took Poppy and Holly to our favourite Italian restaurant, I like these evenings as when there is one adult and the two girls we get to chat about things that would not happen if all four of us were together. This evening conversations ranged from cancer stuff (when would my eyelashes and hair grow back) to computer games, Marylin Monroe films and school trips, all in all a really nice evening. Lee has gone out with Sarah to a regular wine tasting at the cafe across the road, I would not be able to deal with that amount of wine so bowed out. This reminds us of the need we all have to let our hair down and chill out even (or specially) in the middle of stressful times. Throughout the last six months time out alone with our friends has been important for both of us to keep the fun going among the battles, setbacks and victory's. I think this weekend may see my first proper curry and my first half pint of proper beer with Nick back at our favourite pub on Sunday night.

So all is well here, no doubt at some time some bug is going to get me and knock me back a bit, but in the meantime I am pushing the envelope within safe limits, the fitter I am when it happens the faster I will recover.

Cheers

Gerry